When a large pharmaceutical company wanted to release a new drug, it did not market it by sending samples to doctors. Instead, it launched it on a social networking platform for doctors.

"By the virtue of an online launch, we created awareness about the drug through educational videos that reached over 2,00,000 doctors, and those who wanted samples or more information about the drug posted enquiries on the Curofy platform," said Nipun Goyal, cofounder of Curofy, the Roundglass Partners-backed social networking platform for doctors that counts Abbott Laboratories, Cipla and Philips among clients.

Platforms such as Curofy, DailyRounds and Docplexus are helping device makers and pharma companies reduce cost overheads by enhancing the efficiency of medical representatives and helping them connect with doctors.

While digital marketing for pharmaceuticals is the main source of revenue generation for these platforms, what makes them interesting is that these platforms are helping the pharmaceutical industry target doctors as per their exact requirement at any given point of time, using the tried-and-tested model of social ad networks, such as Facebook.

The medical devices and drugs marketplace has remained a fairly offline and unorganised segment that operates by selling to doctors through human agents.

"We are trying to target and hit the sweet spot between what doctors require and what pharma companies can provide," says Phanish Chandra of Pune-based Docplexus, which connects doctors via a website and a mobile application. The startup claims to have over 1,50,000 doctors in its network, of which 6,000 are monthly active users.

Chandra said it's important for such platforms to keep adding value to a doctor's professional life. Doctors practising modern medicine in India seek evidence-based advice, a requirement fulfilled by these networking platforms, where doctors spend considerable time every week.

The cost of a single doctor visit for a pharma representative is between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 and it doesn't always translate into sale, said Goyal of Curofy. By marketing through platforms like Curofy, the information about the drug reaches doctors across various cities without shooting up marketing budgets.

Bengaluru-based DailyRounds, a social network for doctors that counts GE Healthcare and Pfizer among its pharmaceutical clients, follows a studio approach "to serve different requirements of the pharma industry", said cofounder Deepu Sebin, a doctor.

Accel Partner-backed DailyRounds maintains records of clinical cases and drugs and also provides data insights to the pharma industry. While knowing information about a doctor's requirements through their case studies and group discussions provides potential leads for drug makers, Sebin said the information also helps medical representatives improve and modify their sales pitches to doctors.

According to reports, over $20 billion will be spent on doctor outreach in India by 2020, signalling an increase in demand for such platforms.